1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering wheel provided with a vibration device that transmits vibration to the driver holding a ring section of the steering wheel.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,852,225 discloses a steering wheel which is equipped with a vibration device which causes vibration on a ring section of the steering wheel to warn the driver holding the ring section in such an instance where his vehicle is about to leave the lane. In this steering wheel, the vibration device is mounted on a spoke region of a core of the steering wheel. The vibration device includes a vibration motor and a fixing bracket which mounts the vibration motor on the spoke region of the core. The vibration motor includes a rotational axis protruding out of a motor body and an eccentric weight connected to the rotational axis. The fixing bracket includes a holding section which holds end sections of the vibration motor from which the rotational axis protrudes and mounting sections which extend from opposite sides of the holding section and are secured to the core of the steering wheel.
In such a steering wheel with a vibration device, it is preferable, in light of downsizing of the vibration device, that a vibration motor of the vibration device is provided with a circuit substrate having a connector to which a lead wire is connected for supplying an electricity to the vibration device. That is, if a circuit substrate having a connector is connected to a motor body of the vibration device with its terminals for supplying an electricity plugged in terminal holes of the motor body, the lead wire can be connected to the connector of the circuit substrate of the vibration device, which will facilitate wiring of the lead wire and mounting of the vibration device on a steering wheel body.
A circuit substrate is preferably connected to the motor body also because such a circuit substrate may include an IC chip for removing such an electric noise that would arise at actuation of the vibration motor and affect electronic devices of a vehicle.
However, it is not preferable to use such fixing means as a screw for mounting the circuit substrate on the motor body because such configuration would complicate the connecting work of the circuit substrate and assembling of the vibration device.